Burntisland banger is best in Scotland

Burntisland butcher makes the best pork sausage

A record-breaking Burntisland banger has been named Scottish Pork Sausage Champion 2025, marking it out as the best in the country.

Tom Courts Quality Foods lifted the Championship for a record third time at the recent Scottish Craft Butchers biennial Trade Fair at Perth, beating off fierce competition from over 60 independent butchers. And owner Tom couldn’t be more delighted.

“We won the Scottish Championship in 2011 and 2013, and to top the charts again this year is just fantastic,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a sausage in the country that has secured so many titles.”

Tom’s haul of awards for his pork sausage includes coming in as Reserve Scottish Champion in 1989 and 2009. The Fife butcher took a break from the industry between 1992 and 2003 but his premier pork product has proved it’s got real staying power.

“I stay true to my dad’s original recipe which has proved a best seller for two generations,” he said. “My dad said we should compete on quality – not price – and that’s exactly why our pork sausage is a winner.

“It’s made with the very best pork from Scotland mixed with top quality grains and spices and then made using artisan methods, perfected by our team. And there’s a wee secret twist there too.”

Tom took the helm himself, however, for the national championship, hand-making the sausages that claimed the crown. Judges named it East of Scotland Champion before selecting it from five regions to be named Scottish Champion. 

“I’m really chuffed,” he said, “and the whole team is absolutely delighted. We were up against some of the finest butchers in the country and although I know we have a great product, there’s nothing like the thrill of hearing your name called out as being the best in the business.

“Our pork links are such a signature product for us at Tom Courts Quality Foods,” he added. “They’re a huge seller and bring us a lot of business so it’s just wonderful to see them secure another Scottish championship – what a treble!”

Tom and his team handcraft and sell around 300 kilos of pork links every week from their production unit and shop at Burntisland, outsourcing to customers throughout Britain.

Gordon King, executive manager with Scottish Craft Butchers, praised Tom and his team for their record win and said it was the pork sausage that others would aspire to.

“The Scottish Pork Sausage Championship is one of the most coveted and fiercely contested competitions in the business,” he said, “and to take the title with the same product three times is outstanding.

“The standard of entry this year was extremely high which reflects well on our local independent craft butchers who supply this household staple food as one of their key products on a daily basis,” he said, “but Tom Courts produced something exceptional yet again and wowed the judges to take a third championship title for his pork links.”

Judith Johnston, senior account manager with championships sponsor Lucas Ingredients, praised the extremely high standard of competition and the ultimate champion.

“Lucas Ingredients is extremely proud to be associated with the Scottish Pork Sausage Championship and would like to congratulate Tom and his team on winning such a prestigious event.